There are a variety of window coverings in which a window covering material extends from a headrail and is raised and lowered by lift cords or drawn along a track by pull cords. One type of window covering is the venetian blind in which a series of horizontal slats are hung on two or more ladders that hang from a headrail. A similar product is the vertical blind in which a set of vertical slats are suspended from a track in the headrail. Most manufacturers offer slats for venetian blinds and vertical blinds in a variety of colors and materials including wood, vinyl, aluminum and composite materials. Another class of window covering contains a panel of fabric, woven woods or woven grasses hung on a headrail. Among these window coverings are pleated shades, cellular shades, roman shades and roll-up shades. In most of these shades the fabric panel is available in a number of colors and patterns, can be woven or non-woven and the weave can vary from sheer to tightly woven.
Traditionally, window coverings have been sold in standard sizes by department stores, discount stores and home centers. They have also been sold by custom fabricators who come to the home or office, measure the windows and make blinds to fit. Some retailers have offered both standard products and custom blinds. In recent years some retailers have sold blinds based upon measurements provided by the customer. These retailers keep a limited inventory of blinds in standard sizes and popular colors. If the customer does not want a blind from the retailer's current inventory, the retailer may custom order the blind from the manufacturer using the customer's measurements. Several retailers now offer blinds through a cut down program. Under this program the store stocks a set of blinds in standard sizes and has a machine that will trim the width of the shade to fit the customer's measurements. The length is adjusted by cutting excess material from the bottom of the shade.
Most retailers have a limited display of sample blinds and have sample books containing swatches of all the colors and kinds of window covering material that are available for a particular family of blinds. Sample books tend to be bulky and are cumbersome to transport. Nevertheless, many customers want to see the sample in the room where the window covering product will be installed before they will make a purchase decision. These customers must then borrow the sample book from the retailer. If the customer fails to return the book, the retailer must buy a new sample book. Many retailers buy several sample books to assure that one is always available for a customer. Pricing of window coverings is usually based upon the size of the blind. Size is determined by the width and length of the blind when the blind is in a closed position which corresponds to covering the entire window over which the blind is to be mounted. The retailer has a price book or set of price sheets for each type of window covering that is being offered for sale. The price books and price sheets are usually kept separate from the sample books.
Those customers who wish to buy window coverings form a home center, department store or large discount store usually will first look at the window covering products on display. Upon finding a product in the display that is of interest, the customer must then look at a sample book to determine if the product is available in a color and style that pleases the customer. After selecting one or more styles, the customer usually will then want to know what the product costs. To obtain pricing information the customer must find a sales person who must then retrieve the applicable price sheet and determine the cost of each item of interest in the size specified by the customer and with all the options selected by the customer. Many times the customer will immediately decide that the price is too high and go elsewhere. The result is that both the customer and the salesperson have spent much time on a transaction that has not resulted in a purchase and sale. Consequently, there is a need for a display of window covering products and method of selling window coverings in which the customer can, without help from a sales person, determine the price and available options of a window covering product which will fit the potential buyer's window.
There is also a need for a display of window covering products and method of selling window coverings in which product samples are available for the customer to easily select and take home with him or her. The samples should be easy to carry and inexpensive.